This invention relates generally to the field of clothing shirts or tops, and more particularly to such tops composed completely or primarily of elastic material of the type worn during sports competitions or exercising, and most particularly relates to such tops designed and adapted to be worn during bicycling.
Specially designed shirts or tops composed of elastic fabric materials, such as Lycra or Spandex, usually referred to as bicycle tops, are often worn by serious riders. These bicycle tops are designed to fit snuggly for purposes of comfort and aerodynamics, and typically possess wicking or cooling characteristics that exceed those of other fabrics.
Bicycles used for racing or long distance riding are not equipped with baskets, pouches, bags or the like, as these would interfere with the aerodynamics of the bicycle by causing undesirable drag or wind resistance. However, it is usually desirable, especially on long rides, to bring bottled water, food or other supplies on the journey, and therefore bicycle tops have been designed with one or more pockets to retain these items. These pockets are almost always disposed on the back of the bicycle top, since the rider bends forward during the ride and placement of the pockets on the front or side would not provide optimum accessibility or comfort. Several problems result from locating the pockets on the rear of the bicycle top. For example, the pockets can trap air as the bicycle moves forward, thus acting like a sail and slowing the rider. A pocket with an unsecured opening may not adequately secure the items stored in the pocket. Over time, and especially if the pockets are loaded with heavy items or multiple items whose volume stretches the pocket, the pockets or the garment may become misshapen. Also, if the pocket is overloaded, the fit and comfort of the garment may be adversely affected.
To address these problems, it is known to incorporate an elastic band on the exposed edge or top hem of the pocket flap. The ends of elastic band may be sewn directly to the fabric comprising the bicycle top. The strength of the elastic band must be limited so that it does not damage the fabric material to which it is attached, meaning that relatively weak elastic bands must be utilized, thereby decreasing the ability of the pocket to retain the items. This structure results in undesirable stress points on the fabric, a misshaping of the garment, and can become uncomfortable over long time periods. This is especially true for women's bicycle tops that incorporate shelf bras within the interior of the garment. A shelf bra is typically constructed from an elastic fabric material and is attached to the fabric of the bicycle top along its upper hem. The bottom of the shelf bra is usually not directly attached to the top and is provided with a torso-encircling elastic band to properly position and retain the shelf bra on the wearer's torso.
It is an object of this invention to provide a novel construction for a bicycle top that addresses the above referenced problems. It is a further object to provide such a bicycle top wherein elastic bands of relatively high strength can be incorporated in the top without detrimental effect to the fabric material, the look of the top or the comfort of the wearer. It is a further object to provide such a bicycle top wherein stress on the pocket hem is transferred or shared with a body encircling elastic band.